K-State Electronic Theses, Dissertations, and Reports: 2004 -
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/2097/4
This is the collection for doctoral dissertations and masters theses and reports submitted electronically by K-State students. Electronic submission of doctoral dissertations was required beginning Fall semester 2006. Electronic submission for masters theses and reports was required beginning Fall 2007. The collection also contains some dissertations, theses, and reports from the years 2004 and 2005 that were submitted during a pilot test project. Some items before 2004 have been digitized and are available in K-State Electronic Theses, Dissertations, and Reports: pre-2004. Check the Library catalog for dissertations, theses, and reports not found in these collections.
All items included in this collection have been approved by the K-State Graduate School. More information can be found on the ETDR Information Page. Items within this collection are protected by U.S. Copyright. Copyright on each item is held by the individual author.
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Open Access Nutritional and management strategies to improve reproductive efficiency in beef cattle(2026) Schwartz, AllenFertility in beef cattle is one of the most economically important and biologically complex aspects of the beef production system. Improving reproductive efficiency requires an integrated understanding of the factors that regulate puberty, gamete quality, and the establishment of pregnancy. This thesis research is designed to address the fertility of male and female beef cattle through supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids on reproductive development, fatty acid profiles, oxidative status, and semen quality in developing beef bulls, and the evaluation of anogenital distance as a physiological phenotype as a predictor of reproductive tract maturity and the outcome of pregnancy in beef females. These two studies provide a comprehensive analysis of how nutrition and indicators of reproductive maturity, such as anogenital distance, contribute to the variation in fertility, offering practical insight for herd-level management. In the first experiment, developing beef bulls (n = 39) were assigned to one of three dietary treatments for an 80-day supplementation period: a control diet with no omega-3 supplementation (CON), a moderate rate of omega-3 inclusion (MOD; 0.22 kg per head daily), or a high omega-3 rate of inclusion (HI; 0.44 kg per head daily). Supplementation effectively altered circulating fatty acid profiles in serum, increasing omega-3 concentrations in the HI group compared with the CON group throughout the study (P = 0.02). Despite the shift in serum fatty acids, no improvements in semen quality traits were observed. Sperm motility during the three breeding soundness exams tended to improve in the HI group compared with the CON group (P = 0.10), with no treatment effect on progressive motility or morphology. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation did not alter the reactive oxygen species in seminal plasma at the end of the supplementation period. Scrotal development and carcass characteristics were unaffected by treatment, but the MOD group had the most favorable G:F ratio and was significantly different from the CON group (P = 0.04). Supplementation neither enhanced nor impaired many semen and performance metrics throughout the 80-day supplementation period. The second experiment explored the fertility of beef cattle females (n = 2,663) by investigating the anogenital distance as a predictor of pregnancy and the use of reproductive tract score in a subset of heifers (n = 933). Anogenital distance has been proposed as a noninvasive indicator of prenatal androgen exposure and postnatal reproductive maturation in several species, yet limited data are available in beef cattle. Cattle in this study were assigned to quartiles and tertiles based on the anogenital distance for each location, as well as some heifers being assigned a reproductive tract score. Pregnancy outcomes from fixed-time artificial insemination were used to assess the predictive power of anogenital distance and reproductive tract score. Although anogenital distance exhibited natural variation and was associated with developmental traits, the reproductive tract score consistently emerged as the strongest predictor of pregnancy. Heifers with a greater reproductive tract score were more likely to become pregnant through fixed-time artificial insemination. When modeled together, anogenital distance contributed minimal predictive power beyond reproductive tract score, suggesting that anogenital distance alone cannot replace reproductive tract score as a standalone tool for heifer selection. The presence of measurable anogenital distance variation supports the continued exploration of anogenital distance as part of a set of physiological indicators that captures reproductive tract maturation not fully represented by the reproductive tract score. Collectively, these two studies contribute important insight into the biology of fertility in beef cattle. The bull supplementation trial demonstrates that omega-3 fatty acids effectively modify blood lipid profiles, but short-term supplementation did not yield substantial improvements in semen quality or oxidative status. The anogenital distance offers potential for identifying females with a greater probability of becoming pregnant through timed artificial insemination, but the reproductive tract score remains the most reliable tool available for predicting pregnancy outcomes. Integration of nutritional and physiological assessments across sexes underscores the multifactorial nature of fertility and emphasizes the importance of using validated, biologically meaningful indicators to enhance reproductive efficiency in beef cattle production.Item Open Access Understanding the experiences of residence hall custodians(2026) Peterson, RebeccaThis qualitative research study explored the experiences of residence hall custodians at public 4-year institutions located within the Midwest. The study focused on participants’ interactions, motivations, training, and expectations related to their work as a custodian in the residence halls. The following research questions framed this study: (1) How do residence hall custodians describe the ways in which they interact with the students living in the buildings where they work?, (2) How do residence hall custodians describe their motivation to support students?, and (3) How do residence hall custodians describe the training and/or expectations that are provided by the custodial supervisory staff regarding relationship building with students? The research methodology used an interpretive study where 14 custodians participated in semistructured in-person interviews and a walk-through of their work areas. Photographs were captured during the walk-throughs, and relevant documents were provided. Analysis of the interviews, photographic memos, and documents allowed four themes to emerge from the data analysis: (a) Adaptive Practices and Unacknowledged Labor, (B) “I’m Here for the Students, (C) Community Contributions While Being Seen and Valued, and (D) “I Think the Building Would Probably Have Trouble Sticking Together If We Weren’t Here.” The findings suggest a disconnect between the work custodial staff provide in addition to cleaning and the mismatch between employee experiences and supervisor expectations. The findings enhance understanding of how custodial staff articulate their interactions with students and their motivations for engaging with residents. Understanding the experiences of an often-understudied population helps elevate the voices of campus service workers while helping to identify and understand their contributions to the campus enterprise.Item Open Access Opportunities and challenges for sugar replacement in chocolate: A review(2026) Thomas, RebeccaThis review explores the current landscape of sugar reduction in chocolate, focusing on the challenges and opportunities presented by various sweetener alternatives. Sucrose, which comprises nearly half of a chocolate’s composition, plays a multifaceted role as a sweetener, bulking agent, and modulator of mouthfeel and rheology. Traditional sugar substitutes such as polyols (maltitol, xylitol, isomalt, sorbitol) and fibers (inulin, polydextrose, maltodextrin) are widely used, often in combination with high-intensity sweeteners to mimic the physical and sensory properties of sucrose. While polyols and fibers can partially replicate the functionality of sucrose, their use is generally limited by digestive discomfort and the need for complex ingredient blends. Recent research has explored novel alternatives including rare sugars such as tagatose and allulose, palm and coconut sugars, mulberry molasses microcapsules, red beetroot powder, and date powder, each offering unique benefits and challenges in terms of rheology, microstructure, and consumer acceptability. Studies consistently show that no single substitute can fully match all the sensory and physical attributes of traditional sucrose-sweetened chocolate. Optimal results are achieved through meticulously crafted blends of bulk sweeteners and high-intensity sweeteners, with ingredient selection influenced by chocolate type (white, milk, or dark) and desired consumer target. Sensory evaluations highlight the importance of balancing sweetness, texture, and flavor, while instrumental analyses reveal significant impacts on viscosity, hardness, and fat and sugar crystallization. This review concludes that further research is needed to identify novel ingredient combinations that more closely replicate the properties of sucrose, minimize gastrointestinal impact, and meet consumer expectations for taste and health-consciousness in reduced-sugar chocolate products.Item Embargo First measurement of sub-GeV $\nu_{\mu}$ charged-current coherent pion production on the argon nucleus in MicroBooNE(2026) Hussain, AdilI present a measurement of the $\nu_{\mu}$ charged-current (CC) coherent pion production cross section on the argon nucleus, performed using data collected by the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) exposed to the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) at Fermilab. The analysis utilizes the full MicroBooNE dataset corresponding to an exposure of $1.31 \times 10^{21}$ protons on target (POT), with a mean neutrino energy of approximately $0.8$~GeV. The flux-averaged cross section for this process is measured to be \[ \sigma = (9.7 \pm 1.3~\text{(stat)} \pm 1.2~\text{(syst)}) \times 10^{-40}~\text{cm}^2/\text{Ar}. \] This result constitutes the first measurement of CC coherent pion production on an argon nucleus at sub-GeV neutrino energies. Coherent pion production is a rare neutrino-nucleus interaction in which the neutrino scatters coherently off the entire nucleus, leaving it in its ground state while producing a forward-going muon and pion with little momentum transfer. Owing to its clean two-body kinematics, the process provides a well-constrained experimental signature that can be isolated through topological and angular selections. In this work, the signal is extracted using a data-driven template-fitting method that minimizes dependence on theoretical models, thereby improving the robustness of the measurement against generator uncertainties. Beyond representing a first-of-its-kind result on the argon nucleus, this measurement offers a benchmark for future neutrino experiments employing liquid-argon detectors. The simplicity and kinematic predictability of coherent pion events make them valuable for constraining the $\nu_{\mu}$-component of neutrino flux uncertainties and validating reconstruction performance in oscillation experiments such as DUNE. The results presented here thus contribute to the broader effort to achieve precise and model-independent neutrino cross-section measurements on argon nucleus, a critical ingredient for reducing systematic uncertainties in long-baseline neutrino oscillation physics.Item Open Access The case for more American tiny home communities(2025) Guemmer, JackAs affordable housing becomes a fleeting reality for many Americans, it is clear that increasing housing costs pose a significant challenge for current and future generations of homeowners. The issue of affordable housing dates to the 1930s during the Great Depression. Attempts to provide affordable housing have been implemented with limited success by several acts of legislation that ebb and flow with the political climate. However, a strong emergent trend is the commercialization of housing which pits institutional investors against the persons who seek to actually occupy the homes. This study analyzes the possible use of tiny homes situated within cluster home communities to provide more affordable housing options for future first-time homeowners, the homeless and persons who simply want to achieve economic freedom by living in a smaller home. Specifically, this study seeks to answer the question “How can tiny homes be compatibly incorporated into cluster home designed communities so that such homes are accessible and affordable, provide high aesthetics, foster environmental stewardship, and provide a sense of place through spatial layout and amenities?”. This question will be answered using a literature review, projective design, as well as precedent studies. Ultimately, this study aims to provide a comprehensive review of tiny homes in cluster home settings by compiling data (both subjective and objective), categorizing such data, identifying how that data influences four factors, and then drawing a reasonable conclusion supporting that tiny homes in cluster designed communities afford a high level of design, accessibility, community, sustainability and affordability.Item Open Access Advancing EEG-based brain-computer interfaces through performance modeling, decoding validation, and methodological optimization: a multi-study approach(2026) Khan, Nazmun NaharBrain-computer interfaces represent a transformative technology that enables direct communication between neural activity and external devices. By decoding brain signals associated with movement intentions or cognitive states, BCIs offer potential solutions for individuals with severe paralysis or communication impairments. Interest from both researchers and clinicians in BCI applications has accelerated in recent years. Yet, despite this promise and decades of intensive research, BCIs have not transitioned successfully from controlled laboratory environments to everyday practice. Significant implementation barriers continue to limit widespread adoption; such as insufficient speed and accuracy, limited and unstandardized training data, and inconsistent evaluation practices. This dissertation examines critical obstacles hindering practical BCI deployment across two distinct application domains: P300-based communication spellers and EEG-based emotional state recognition. The work addresses these challenges through three strategic approaches focusing on efficient performance estimation in P300 spellers, comprehensive emotion dataset development, and rigorous methodological evaluation. P300-based BCI spellers enable communication for individuals with severe motor impairments, yet performance validation creates a practical dilemma. Accurate assessment demands extensive testing sessions where users type 20 or more characters, consuming 4-20 minutes. For individuals who are already fatigued, these lengthy procedures are impractical. Moreover, even after substantial time investment, confidence intervals for accuracy estimates can span ±23%, making it difficult to determine system reliability for a particular user. The first study addresses one of the key challenges in communication BCIs, particularly the slow validation and calibration of P300-based BCI speller systems. A predictive framework based on Classifier-Based Latency Estimation (CBLE) was used to estimate user accuracy from a small amount of typing data (∼3-8 characters). This approach provides faster and more reliable performance prediction, allowing quicker adaptation of the system to individual users. Following this development, the second study expands the scope of BCI research toward affective computing. Current emotion recognition research relies on small, proprietary datasets that typically employ single-modality stimuli, limiting model generalizability across different emotion elicitation scenarios. To address this data scarcity, a comprehensive multimodal database was created with recordings from 30 participants experiencing 240 stimuli across three categories: emotional pictures, facial expressions, and music. Each participant provided both SAM ratings for valence, arousal, and dominance, and discrete emotion labels for happiness, sadness, fear, disgust, surprise, and anger. This database provides nearly three times more stimuli than comparable datasets and represents the first to integrate all three stimulus modalities within a unified experimental framework per participant. However, large-scale dataset availability alone cannot ensure progress if methodological practices remain flawed. The insights gained from dataset design motivated the third study, which systematically examined methodological flaws that affect the reliability of emotion recognition results. A systematic review of 101 studies using the widely-adopted DEAP dataset revealed that 87% contained critical errors, including data leakage from improper segmentation, biased feature selection, and flawed hyperparameter optimization. These methodological oversights artificially inflate reported accuracies, creating unrealistic expectations about system capabilities. Experimental validation demonstrated that such errors can boost performance estimates by up to 46 percentage points, explaining why laboratory results fail to translate to real-world deployment. The review establishes rigorous evaluation protocols and provides concrete guidelines to prevent common methodological pitfalls. Together, these three studies form a continuous progression—from improving BCI speller performance modeling, enabling standardized affective datasets, and establishing rigorous evaluation protocols. Collectively, they contribute to building faster, more reliable, and methodologically sound EEG-based BCI systems for assistive and adaptive real-world applications.Item Open Access The transformative impact of trauma-informed practices and applied educational neuroscience training on elementary preservice teachers(2025) Gerleman, MelissaThis qualitative multiple case study explored how trauma-informed practices (TIPs) and applied educational neuroscience (AEN) influence the instructional development of three elementary preservice teachers. Guided by Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory (TLT), the study examined how participants’ beliefs and practices evolved as they engaged with TIP and AEN concepts through coursework, professional development, and microteaching experiences. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and scenario analyses, then triangulated to identify patterns of transformation. Findings revealed that preservice teachers redefined classroom management from behavior control to co-regulation, reconceptualized learning environments as emotional ecosystems, and reframed engagement as a process rooted in safety, trust, and connection. Transformation is divulged through phases of disorienting dilemmas, critical reflection, and reintegration of new professional identities aligned with TLT. The study contributes to the growing body of research on trauma-informed teacher preparation by demonstrating how TIPs and AEN can catalyze transformative growth in preservice teachers. Implications highlight the importance of embedding trauma-informed and neuroscience-based content throughout teacher preparation programs to cultivate reflective, relationship-centered educators who can support both academic and emotional regulation in their classrooms.Item Open Access Grazing for pollinators: The effects of grazing management on foraging and nesting pollinator communities and habitat(2026) Greenlee, EmmaNative pollinators are a vital but threatened component of natural and agricultural systems worldwide, including grasslands. In the Great Plains, bison and prairie dogs were once among the most abundant mammalian grazers, while cattle grazing is a widespread management practice today. Grazers like cattle, bison, and prairie dogs shape the ecosystems around them through herbivory and behavior. However, their effects on pollinator habitat and pollinator communities in prairies are not well understood. This study investigated the effects of grazers on 1) foraging pollinator habitat, communities, and traits and 2) ground-nesting bee habitat and communities. During summer 2024 and 2025, I quantified plant-pollinator networks and measured ground-nesting bee communities across grazing regimes (bison, cattle, prairie dogs, and ungrazed areas) and intensities at sites spanning tallgrass and shortgrass prairies in the Great Plains (Konza Prairie, KS; American Prairie, Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, and Fort Belknap, MT). I found that grazers primarily influence pollinators indirectly, through effects on floral resources. In Kansas, floral resource availability was higher in bison- and cattle-grazed areas than ungrazed areas, and in Montana, bison and prairie dogs were associated with increased floral resources. In both regions, plant species richness, but not abundance, was positively associated with pollinator species richness. In addition, bee size (a proxy for dispersal ability) did not vary with grazing regime in either region, but larger bee species tended to interact with fewer plant species than smaller bee species in both regions. I found that nesting bee abundance was highest in bison-grazed sites in Kansas, and trended higher in bison-grazed sites in Montana. Nesting bee abundance was primarily driven by aboveground habitat characteristics, particularly floral richness, across regions. Identifying grazing practices that promote robust pollinator communities is critical for the conservation and management of North America’s grasslands, and for informing restoration decisions.Item Open Access Essays on the future of agricultural productivity and meat demand: Evidence in China and the United States(2025) Tian, YongxiaSince the introduction of hybrid maize in the 1930s, U.S. corn yields have increased at the rate of 1.8 bu/acre/year. Concomitantly, corn plant populations (plants/acre) more than doubled. Thus, the increase in yields has primarily taken the form of more plants/acre, rather than more yield/plant. But this raises some important questions: What is the upper limit for plant populations, have we already reached it, and what does this imply for future corn productivity? This study investigates these questions using county-level panel data on US corn yields, plant populations, and weather variables from 1960-2023. While plant population changes have been arguably the most crucial mechanism for yield growth, this study shows we may be approaching an upper limit. U.S mean plant populations have not increased, on average, since 2015, and yield projections based on a slowdown in plant population growth suggest a major potential slowdown in yield growth. This second article examines meat consumption behavior and its dynamics across four meat categories (pork, beef, poultry and lamb) in urban and rural China. We adopt an extended dynamic demand system that incorporates both habit formation and pre-committed effects and estimates the model using provincial level data from 30 provinces during the period 2015 to 2022. Results from the dynamic demand system show that while all four meat categories are habitual, beef is the most habitual meat in the urban and rural consumption groups, however, rural consumers display a higher degree of habit formation in their diets. Additionally, we provide evidence that factors beyond price and expenditure play a significant role in shaping both urban and rural consumer demand responses for pork and poultry. Using long-term elasticities, we predict changes in budget shares for meat consumption over the next decade, indicating that beef and poultry are likely to take a larger portion of future meat expenditure. This third paper uses agricultural data from 31 Chinese provinces during the 2000–2022 period to examine whether China’s Five-Year Plans (FYPs) induced or inhibited differential productivity across provinces. Productivity performance and heterogeneity are first assessed using a Malmquist productivity index. Convergence tests confirmed “catch-up” effects, where regions with lower productivity growth gradually move towards a unified steady state equilibrium state, but no clear convergence was observed nationally or regionally, except in the western provinces. Econometric analysis shows that the twelfth FYP reduced differential provincial total factor productivity (TFP), while this effect was not significantly significant in the thirteenth and fourteenth FYPs. Budgetary and financial policies appear to mitigate this divergence, whereas education policies may have induced disparities due to labor outflows and rural aging. This study has significant policy implications for the formulation and evaluation of future FYPs. Specifically, central government strategies should be closely coordinated with provincial initiatives, progress should be monitored at each stage, and plans should be continuously adjusted to ensure effective implementation. Future research could extend this analysis by incorporating survey data on the performance and evaluation of FYPs at each stage.Item Open Access Leveraging cultural wealth: An appreciative inquiry into the success of community college student parents.(2026) Cook, ChannellStudent parents comprise approximately 18% of all undergraduates in the United States, with about 51% enrolled in community colleges (Anderson et al., 2024). National data reveal significant disparities in educational attainment between college students who are parents and those who are not. Reichlin Cruse et al. (2019) reported that only 37% of student parents completed a degree or certificate within six years, compared to 59% of students without children. This qualitative study examined how successful community college student parents utilized their cultural wealth and effectively integrated personal, community, and institutional resources to balance their academic and parenting responsibilities. Guided by Appreciative Inquiry theory and Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth (CCW), the research examined how student parents utilized aspirational, linguistic, familial, social, navigational, and resistant capital to support persistence and achievement in higher education. It also explored what works in terms of institutional support systems and services to promote student parent success. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 female participants attending a mid-sized Hispanic-Serving Institution in the greater Houston, Texas area. All participants had completed at least 45 college credit hours, earned a certificate or degree, or transitioned into a career related to their field of study. Eleven identified as first-generation college students, representing varied family structures, employment statuses, and parenting circumstances. Findings indicated that participants actively employed all six forms of cultural capital, often in overlapping and mutually reinforcing ways. Aspirational capital reflected their determination to create intergenerational change and serve as educational role models for their children. Familial capital was expressed through emotional, logistical, and motivational support from children, partners, and extended families. Social capital emerged from peer, mentor, and faith-based networks. Navigational capital involved self-advocacy, strategic organization, and effective utilization of institutional resources. Resistant capital was evident in participants’ rejection of deficit narratives and commitment to breaking cycles of limited educational attainment. Linguistic capital supported effective communication and cultural adaptability. Institutional supports played a pivotal role in persistence, with childcare assistance identified as the most essential infrastructure. Other key supports included basic needs services, TRiO Student Support Services, academic assistance, and positive relationships with faculty and staff. However, awareness of available resources varied, underscoring the need for proactive and systematic communication. Two additional themes emerged during the study: time as a critical resource and parenting as a source of transferable skills and motivation. Participants’ strategic time management and the organizational, multitasking, and resilience skills developed through parenting directly contributed to academic success. The study's implications emphasize that student-parent success depends on the interaction between students' inherent cultural wealth and institutional recognition of these strengths. Community colleges can enhance outcomes by treating childcare as essential infrastructure, strengthening outreach about resources, designing flexible and family-friendly environments, and fostering cultural responsiveness among faculty and staff. Policymakers should prioritize funding for childcare, basic needs, and comprehensive student services while including student-parent perspectives in program development and evaluation. Overall, this research challenged deficit-based narratives by demonstrating that student-parent success arises not solely from individual determination but from a reciprocal process in which cultural wealth and institutional support systems reinforce one another, advancing equity, inclusion, and opportunity in higher education.Item Open Access Exploring alternatives to selling farm ground under urban development pressures: A case study in Wichita, KS(2026) Thornton, LindsayFarm ground is lost to development every year. If you live close to an urban area, you can see urban development creep out into the rural landscape in real time. Developers often come with deep pockets and seemingly endless resources. While the money may look attractive, exploring other options can help a farmer make a more informed decision. The purpose of this thesis is to provide a case study that evaluates tradeoffs and opportunity costs that agricultural producers face when they consider selling farm ground. The research focuses on counties in South Central Kansas that would be susceptible to development pressures from the Wichita area. This case study explores four alternative options to retaining the land despite urban development pressures. Those options are selling the land, relocating the farm to a neighboring county, enrolling in the Conservation Reserve Program with the USDA, or finding a tenant to farm the ground. The Net Present Value (NPV) of the interest earned from the investment is calculated over a 10-year time horizon. The NPV is then calculated to find the best option. This case study can provide some insight into the loss of farm ground every year and could be a resource for a farmer who is considering selling his farm ground. The results showed that relocating the farm to an adjacent county provided the best financial results, but there were more variables to consider. Factoring risk and liquidity, along with a person’s emotional tie to the ground they have potentially farmed for generations, doesn’t make the choice as clear-cut and easy to make. Also, the age of the farmer and what their financial goals are can also play a part in the decision-making process. This study is helpful for any farmer who is feeling the pressures of urban sprawl or has been approached to sell their land. It allows them to look at the options available for generating income that may provide financial stability for the future.Item Open Access Faculty academic advising and the tenure and promotion process: A qualitative study(2026) Hintz, AnnThe purpose of this study was to explore if and how academic advising is integrated into the tenure and promotion process for faculty members in higher education in the United States. Academic advising is crucial for helping students reach their academic goals (Feygin et al., 2022; Hart-Baldrige, 2020; Young-Jones et al., 2013). The tenure and promotion process typically includes evidence of successful teaching, research, and service over time (AAUP, n.d.; Green, 2008; Prottas et al., 2017), but integrating academic advising into the process in a meaningful way is also critical for those assigned to the role (Palmer, 2022).This study used qualitative interviews, a survey, and document review to understand where academic advising was situated within the tenure and promotion process; what weight, if any, it carried within the process; what materials faculty submitted regarding academic advising for the process; and if the institutional guidelines regarding academic advising within tenure and promotion were clear. This study found that when academic advising was considered within tenure and promotion, it was most often integrated into the teaching or service category but was occasionally found to be a stand-alone category. Most participants disclosed that academic advising was minimally considered in the promotion and tenure process, not necessarily as a meaningful element. Some respondents expressed a lack of understanding of how to articulate evidence of effective academic advising in their portfolios, and some were not required to submit any evidence at all. There was also concern about the extent to which colleagues without advising responsibilities understand the complexities of the role. Respondents acknowledged that it was critical to articulate appropriate and relevant evidence of the work, even if not directed to do so. Ensuring faculty are given clear guidelines for integrating academic advising into their tenure and promotion materials is essential.Item Open Access Effect of dietary choline and diet fermentability on feeding behavior and performance of postpartum dairy cows(2026) Pasch, KelseyDepressed intake and hepatic lipid accumulation are major contributors to metabolic stress in transition dairy cows. Highly fermentable diets have also been shown to depress dry matter intake (DMI), compounding the risk of metabolic stress. Choline is commonly supplemented to periparturient dairy cows to facilitate hepatic lipid metabolism and support postpartum health and performance. Our objective was to evaluate effects of diet fermentability (DF) and rumen-protected choline (RPC) on postpartum DMI and performance. Multiparous Holstein cows (n = 65) were enrolled on a rolling basis according to body condition score, expected calving date (ECD), and 305-d mature equivalent milk yield, and were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 postpartum treatments in a randomized complete block design with a 2x2 factorial arrangement of starch fermentability rate (low [dry-rolled corn; LFERM] vs. high [wheat; HFERM]) and RPC (no RPC [C-] vs. RPC [C+; 30 g/d]). Prepartum RPC supplementation began 21 d before ECD in a total mixed ration for C+ cows and continued postpartum, whereas C- cows received no RPC. Cows were fed with a Roughage Intake Control (RIC) computerized feeding system during the prepartum period (Hokofarm Group, Emmeloord, The Netherlands). Postpartum cows (n = 55) were fed for 21 d postpartum in a tie-stall with a computerized feeding behavior system. Feeding behaviors, DMI, and milk yield were collected daily, and milk components were collected 2 d/wk. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models for the fixed effects of treatment, time, and their interactions using PROC MIXED in SAS (v 9.4). Means are presented with 95% confidence interval. Prepartum, C+ decreased DMI compared with C- (14.8 [13.8, 15.9] vs. 17.1 kg [16.0, 18.2]). Postpartum, there was no evidence of treatment effect on DMI. Time and RPC interacted for meal size, with C- increasing meal size more rapidly than C+ through d 10 and after d 15. Time and DF interacted to influence milk yield with HFERM increasing milk yield after d 3 compared with LFERM. Compared with LFERM, HFERM decreased milk fat % (4.4 [4.0, 4.8] vs 4.8% [4.4, 5.2]) but not fat yield. Time and DF interacted on protein % and yield; HFERM decreased protein yield from wk 1 to 3 (3.1 [2.8, 3.4] vs. 2.8 [2.6, 3.1]), but there was no difference across wk for LFERM. Compared to LFERM, HFERM decreased milk fatty acid concentrations and preformed fatty acids. There was no evidence of treatment effects on ECM or FCM. For blood metabolites, C+ decreased plasma BHB (1.0 mmol/L [0.9, 1.2] vs. 1.3 [1.1, 1.5]) and tended to increase glucose concentration (49.0 mg/dL [46.4, 51.5] vs. 46.0 [43.5, 48.5]) compared to C-. Time and DF interacted on BUN with HFERM increasing BUN concentration (13.5 mg/dL [12.4, 14.5] vs. 12.6 [11.5, 13.6]). In conclusion, supplementation of RPC, even at a low rate of inclusion, decreased plasma BHB concentrations suggesting improved metabolic status postpartum. Prepartum DMI was reduced in cows supplemented with RPC, which requires further work to elucidate potential mechanisms of action showing similar results in TMR-fed cows. Diet fermentability and RPC supplementation did not interact to affect feeding behavior, which may be reflective of relatively lesser differences in starch digestibility between treatments than anticipated. Formulated starch digestibility was 60.1% for HFERM and 44.6% for LFERM, whereas actual analyzed values were 53.8% and 46.7%, respectively, suggesting that modest differences in starch fermentability may have limited treatment responses.Item Open Access Local adaptation and intraspecific variation of the dominant prairie grass: Identifying populations for restoration in future droughts(2026) Sytsma, JackUnderstanding how climate, genetic differentiation, and trait variation interact to shape adaptation, abundance, and drought tolerance is critical for predicting ecosystem responses to global change. This dissertation investigates these processes in Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem), a dominant North American tallgrass prairie species, using an integrated approach combining reciprocal garden experiments, ecological genomics, trait-based analyses, and range-wide surveys. The overarching goal was to understand how environmental gradients and genetic variation interact to determine local adaptation, population performance, and resilience under drought. Four complementary objectives guided this research: (1) quantify local adaptation across precipitation gradients; (2) identify molecular and trait-based mechanisms of local adaptation and drought response; (3) evaluate range-wide patterns of abundance, diversity, and trait variation, and (4) assess the relative contributions of genetic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity to intraspecific trait variation (ITV). We hypothesized (1) that local ecotypes would exhibit higher fitness and performance than non-local ecotypes when grown in their home sites (local adaptation) and would be competitively dominant over the surrounding plant community. We expected (2) that drought-adaptive trait assemblages and gene expression profiles will be more pronounced in the dry ecotype compared to the wet ecotype, reflecting genomic and trait-based mechanisms of local adaptation. We hypothesized (3) that population abundance and genetic diversity would peak at the range core, consistent with the Abundant Center Hypothesis (ACH), and trait variation will correspond to linear clines according to climatic gradients, in support of a clinal patterns model (CPM). Finally, we expected (4) that ITV will result primarily from genetic differentiation among populations rather than phenotypic plasticity or short-term environmental acclimation. To test these hypotheses, we first leveraged long-term reciprocal gardens established in 2009 across broad rainfall gradients (500–1200 mm yr⁻¹) and measured cover and biomass of ecotypes and their surrounding plant community. Second, within these gardens, we measured functional traits—including leaf morphology, biomass allocation, phenology, and water-use efficiency among others— and used RNA sequencing to provide transcriptomic data to link gene expression with phenotypic responses. Third, we conducted range-wide measurements of abundance, traits, and genetic diversity across broad environmental gradients in populations spanning sharp temperature (4-21oC, TX-MN USA) and precipitation (350-1400 mm yr-1, CO-NC) gradients. Finally, we used controlled greenhouse experiments to disentangle environmental versus genetic contributions to trait variation of the same populations used in our range-wide demographic study. Our results demonstrate strong local adaptation: A. gerardi ecotypes consistently exhibited higher fitness in home environments with this trend becoming more pronounced at decadal scales. The strength of local adaptation extended to the community level where local ecotypes were competitively dominant over the surround plant community whereas non-local ecotypes allowed for competitive release. Trait-based analyses of ecotypes showed the dry ecotype demonstrated trait assemblages consistent with stress tolerance (increased water-use efficiency, shorter stature) where the wet ecotype showed traits associated with increased light competition (greater height, biomass, and leaf width). At the transcriptome level, differential gene expression revealed drought-responsive genes (e.g., ABA signaling, Drought Induced 19) were upregulated in the dry ecotype, with growth-promoting genes (e.g., Gibberellins, Auxin Response Factors) were upregulated in the wet ecotype. Range-wide analyses showed that abundance and genetic diversity aligned with the ACH, peaking near range centers. In contrast, functional trait variation increased linearly along climatic gradients, supporting the CPM. Finally, ITV was shaped by both climate and underlying genetic differentiation, indicating that precipitation regimes have imposed persistent selective pressures on trait variation. Together, these findings reveal a multi-scalar interplay between environmental selection, evolutionary processes, and functional trait differentiation. This research advances both ecological theory and applied restoration science. Theoretically, it integrates frameworks of local adaptation, ecological genomics, and ITV, providing mechanistic insight into how genotype, phenotype, and environment interact across spatial and temporal scales. Practically, it informs climate-adjusted seed sourcing, ecotype selection, and restoration strategies aimed at enhancing ecosystem resilience under increasing drought and changing rainfall patterns. By combining long-term field experiments, genomic data, and trait-based approaches, this dissertation provides a mechanistic understanding of adaptation in a dominant prairie grass and offers actionable recommendations for land managers. These include identifying drought-tolerant genotypes that can enhance restoration outcomes, such as informing species and genotype selection for large-scale programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program, which manages millions of acres of conservation land.Item Open Access Small unmanned aerial vehicles with line of sight in the company fire support team(2026) Brantley, JasonNations have attempted to use Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) on the battlefield since at least the First World War (Imperial War Museum, n.d.). However, the Russia-Ukraine War was the first war that saw widespread usage of the broad range of technologies that fall under the title Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). Both sides have used sophisticated multi-layered Unmanned Aerial Systems to engage targets with direct and indirect fires (CNA, 2023). It is undeniable that UAVs have significantly impacted the war, and other nations, including the United States, have become painfully aware that they are behind the curve in integrating UAS into every level of their militaries. Given the widespread usage of UAS in modern large-scale combat operations to detect artillery targets and increase fire mission processing speeds, the United States Army should integrate small UAVs (sUAVs) into company Fire Support Teams to increase their effectiveness in order to defeat near-peer adversaries. While the impact of UAVs is undeniable, it is still unknown exactly how much they improve the effectiveness of company-level Fire Support Teams. Since artillery is such a core element of the Russian Way of War, artillery units were early adopters of UAVs in the Russia-Ukraine War (Cranny-Evans, 2023). The advantage of being able to observe targets far forward of the front line without needing to put troops within eyesight of the target is immense. Still, it is unknown exactly how much more effective these units are with UAVs. The purpose of this research would be to determine what improvements are made in the key performance indicators of a Company Fire Support Team when a small UAS is integrated into its operations. The key performance indicators to be measured are observable area, target detection, and fire mission processing. A quantitative study with an experimental between-participant posttest-only control-group design was conducted to test these indicators. Eight Forward Observer teams composed of Kansas State University Reserve Training Officer Corps (ROTC) Cadets were separated into two groups. The control group was given basic fire support tools and occupied an observation post (OP). From that OP, each team had 10 minutes to identify as many targets as possible and process fire missions on them while maintaining Line of Sight with the UAV and the targets. Data on the key performance indicators were then compared to the data collected from the experiment group. The experiment group performed the same operation as the control group; except they were provided with a small UAV. Once the data was collected and analyzed, it was possible to begin to determine exactly how much the effectiveness of a company fire support team increased when a small UAV was integrated into its operations. This research did not examine the following factors: how the generated fire missions would be handled at the battalion level or above, the effects of large UAVs on the battlefield, how the current EW domain would affect the UAVs in question, or how fires planning would be affected by the introduction of UAVs at the company level.Item Embargo Data-driven approaches to improve seed depth consistency in precision planting system(2025) Dua, SimranPlanting is one of the most crucial operations in crop production, as it determines how well a crop establishes and performs throughout the season. The goal of planting is to place each seed at an appropriate spacing and depth in the soil in a timely manner. While spacing ensures desired plant stand, accurate seeding depth ensures proper seed-to-soil contact, placement in adequate moisture zone, and favorable temperature conditions for uniform germination for all seeds. Consistent seeding depth plays a critical role in early-stage crop performance such as emergence rate and plant density, key factors influencing final yield. Despite major advances in precision planting technology, good is still a major challenge, especially when moisture plays a critical role in initial plant establishment. However, there is a need for technology which can not only place the seed in the right moisture zone by real-time changing seeding depth but can also provide uniform emergence to achieve optimal yields. This research was designed to address key questions in precision planting, 1) How margin selection and operating speed impact GWL and seed depth uniformity 2) Can a variable depth seeding system provide accurate seeding depth at varying target depths under variable field conditions and, 3) Can a variable-depth seeding system promote uniform emergence for achieving optimal yields. To answer these, two complementary studies were conducted focusing on planter mechanics and agronomic outcomes. The first study, Optimization of Gauge Wheel Load (GWL) Margin to Improve Planter Performance, evaluated the effects of four downforce margins (445 N, 778 N, 1112 N, 1446 N) and three planting speeds (8, 12, 16 km h⁻¹) on seeding depth consistency. This study was conducted to see if the planter can manage uniform downforce management, one key factor when implementing seeding. Field data on seed depth, GWL, speed, and row-unit acceleration were analyzed using linear regression and visualization methods. Results showed that the control system implemented target GWL, and within GWL margins around 1112 N produced the most consistent seed depth (30% lower variability). Higher and more stable GWL margins improved soil contact, reduced compaction, and enhanced planter stability across varying field conditions. The second study, Quantifying Emergence Uniformity Using an Electronic Depth (E-Depth) Control System, examined how planting depth affected emergence timing and yield across different fields. Three target depths (1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 in) were implemented using a precision planter equipped with real-time electronic depth control. Data on emergence, actual depth, and yield were analyzed using logistic regression and ANOVA. The 2.0-inch depth consistently resulted in faster, more uniform emergence and more stable yields under diverse field environments, while the deeper 2.5-inch depth resulted in delayed emergence that required on average approximately 5 additional days to reach 95% emergence. These studies provide a comprehensive understanding of how optimizing both mechanical (GWL margin) and agronomic parameters can achieve precise and consistent seeding depth. The findings deliver data-driven insights to improve planter performance, enhance stand establishment, and support smarter, digital-agriculture decisions for producers.Item Open Access Economic feasibility analysis of small-unmanned aircraft Systems (sUAS) commercial package delivery: Improvement of FAA pilot-to-sUAS and visual line of sight (VLOS) regulation(2025) Lee, ChanjooThis study evaluates the economic feasibility of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) commercial package delivery under evolving Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulatory frameworks. The analysis focuses on the impact of pilot-to-sUAS ratio relaxation, specifically 1:1, 1:10, and 1:20 scenarios, on operational cost efficiency and profitability. Using comparative cost modeling and simulation analysis, the study integrates real-world data from FAA waivers, FAA BVLOS ARC recommendation, and Matternet trials, and verified industry cost benchmarks to construct a reproducible financial model for multirotor and fixed-wing platforms. Results demonstrate that under the current 1:1 FAA restriction (Part 107), commercial sUAS delivery operations remain economically unviable due to high labor costs. However, when the pilot-to-sUAS ratio is relaxed to 1:10, profit margins improve significantly, and at a 1:20 ratio, operations transition into sustainable profitability. For example, profitability in San Francisco increases from −5.82 percent under the 1:10 scenario to 16.3 percent under 1:20, while New York City improves from −13.43 percent to 10.29 percent, despite weather-related constraints. These findings confirm that regulatory flexibility in pilot-to-sUAS ratios is a primary driver of cost reduction and operational scalability in drone logistics. The results also support the FAA’s BVLOS ARC recommendations emphasizing performance-based regulation and automation thresholds (AFR Levels 2–3) as key enablers of scalable, safe, and economically feasible one-to-many operations. The study contributes an analytical framework that links regulatory conditions to economic outcomes, providing quantitative evidence for policy design and industry adoption. By integrating cost modeling, simulation, and regulatory analysis, it offers a standardized approach for evaluating future multi-drone logistics operations and supports broader integration of sUAS within the advanced air mobility (AAM) ecosystem.Item Open Access Volunteerism in the U.S. Armed Forces: An Interpretive Study(2025) Barnes, MichaelThe modern United States military is populated by service members who choose to serve voluntarily. The All-Volunteer Force is celebrated in modern America, touted as a cultural achievement in that the nations’ warfighters are altruistic citizens. While individual motivations may vary greatly, many active-duty service members embrace the notion of serving their country as a civic duty. Military service is seen by many as the ultimate form of community service and volunteerism, honored nationally and in local communities. Yet, within the ranks of the US military some service members go beyond voluntary military service, choosing to volunteer locally with community and nonprofit organizations. In a study on volunteerism of OEF/OIF veterans, 70% of survey respondents stated they had volunteered while serving on active duty (Yonkman & Bridgeland, 2009). The benefits of volunteerism are well established in research and literature particularly in studies on veterans, communities, and volunteers in civil society (Usbeck, 2018; Spera, 2015). These studies focus on civilian contexts and experiences of veterans, not those still serving in the armed forces. Why is this important to study? There are many programs and organizations in communities that benefit from veterans who participate, and those veterans in turn benefit from continued service. Can the benefits of volunteerism be turned back towards current service members? Service members gain knowledge, skills, and abilities through military training and experience that are valuable outside of military service. In a review of the literature, studies on the benefits of volunteerism for veterans are well established, especially for successful reintegration into society and countering suicide. Ideally, volunteerism can provide an outlet to practice and adapt leadership and communication skills for transition back to society while normalizing community connections and reducing isolation.Item Open Access Agrivoltaics: An emerging technology for small-scale and urban agriculture(2025) Thill, Alex J.Agrivoltaics is the practice of producing crops or raising livestock under and around photovoltaic solar panels. With land increasingly in demand for both food and energy, agrivoltaic systems can help producers use land more efficiently. This report serves as a guide for farmers and educators exploring agrivoltaics for the use of urban or peri-urban agriculture. Solar power basics, system geometry, and types of arrays are discussed. Practical design including solar resource evaluation, determining spacing and panel configuration, power storage, and maintenance planning are critical for success. Using Kansas-based field experiments as case studies, we compare fixed-tilt, uniaxial tracking, and vertical-bifacial systems to evaluate how each configuration of panels affects crop light levels and site usability. Light characterization data under/around these arrays over a growing season are presented, and the importance of dead zones in agrivoltaics systems are discussed. In the report, worksheets and examples are provided to help guide growers through early design and consultation with licensed professionals. Our findings suggest that agrivoltaics must be site-specific, and are affected by the soil, climate, and farm management priorities at a given operation. Interdisciplinary collaboration and informed decision-making are encouraged to promote safe and efficient agrivoltaics systems that benefit small-scale, urban growers. For local and urban growers, agrivoltaics and co-located production as a farm operations strategy propose an opportunity to strengthen energy independence, improve land efficiency, and drive innovation in local, sustainable agriculture.Item Open Access Investigating legged robots' mobility control on simple surfaces using a light-weight machine learning architecture(2025) Morton, CoryEstablishing a long-term human presence on the lunar surface necessitates robust autonomous systems capable of navigating unpredictable terrain with limited external control. Surface mobility is challenged by diverse slopes, abrasive regolith, and low-gravity conditions, all while operating under strict power and processing constraints. This thesis investigates the application of Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) to train a neural network-based motion controller for a legged robotic platform, with the goal of deploying the trained controller to a low-resource microcontroller. Using the MuJoCo-based Ant environment from the Gymnasium API, a DRL agent was trained with the Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) algorithm to develop stable and adaptive locomotion policies. The trained model was then quantized and converted using the ExecuTorch framework for deployment on an Arduino Nano BLE 33 Sense microcontroller, representative of the limited processing resources expected in real-world space missions. Performance was evaluated by comparing the behavior of the controller on the development machine to its performance on the microcontroller. Results showed that the deployed model could maintain similar performance to the trained model. While performance degradation due to conversion and hardware limitations was observed, the study offers a practical roadmap for bridging high-performance simulation with real-time embedded control. These findings contribute to advancing autonomous mobility systems for extraterrestrial exploration, emphasizing the potential of DRL and TinyML to operate effectively in low-power, communication-limited environments.
